Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Chapter 7

Athena heaved a deep sigh and walked carefully around the room, she was careful not only because she didn t want to be spotted and thrown out but also because she doesn t want to slip and fall. The floor was too smooth and she fears that if she lets go of herself, that she might slip, it wasn t just her assumption but the fact that she had almost slipped when she had entered the hall. She searched everywhere her eyes could go, looking for only one person; she avoided her face when someone looked at her for a long time. She looked different from all of them, she knows and she had no intention of staying around for long, she just wants to see Frank and talk to him, after that she would leave.

Minutes passed and Athena was beginning to have the feeling that Frank might not be in the hall, for Christ sake she had been searching for a long time and still could not find him, it s also not helping if the hall looked like it houses a thousand people and it was so difficult searching for someone in such a massive place. Luck finally shined on her face when two couples who were chatting in front of her separated and she spotted him, his sandy blonde hair, she sighed in happiness and picked a race, calling out to him, "Frank!" But she regretted her action when she ran for she slipped and had to grab onto a man close to her to steady herself. Her sudden weight on the man made him throw his drink on the woman with him who gasped and stared at her dress in horror.

"I am so sorry, honey," the man apologized to her and turned to glare at Athena as well as the people around.

Athena was afraid and she hesitated not in apologizing to him, "I am so sorry, I-I slipped and-and…"

"Just get out," the man hissed before following his wife to the lady s room.

Athena stared around at everyone who was looking at her, she wanted the ground to open and swallow her but such wishes never happen. Everybody started minding their business as they all went back to what they had been doing. Athena looked at where she had seen Frank and he was busy talking to the people with him, he didn t look her way and she decided to believe that he didn t hear her and so she continued walking up to him, treading carefully now with her steps.

Frank chuckled nervously as he listened to the words of his companions, he prayed in his heart that Henry would ask for the securities to throw Athena away for damaging his wife s dress but he realized that his prayer wasn t answered when he had Carla s words, "is she coming over here?"

"I think so. That reminds me, I heard her called Frank before her stupid stunt, could you by any chance know her, Frank?" Marvelous, a musician from Brand Entertainment asked.

"What? Know her? Of course not," Frank laughed nervously. "I have never seen her in my life before," he let out a few laughs once more.

"But she is still making her way close to us, I don t believe she doesn t know you," Liam, an actor said.

"Oh, yes, now I remember, I think she looks like the beggar I gave some money two nights ago. You know how this beggars can be, show them a little kindness and they will follow you to the grave," Frank chuckled.

"Well, I guess you have to tell her off now, you wouldn t want her following you everywhere you go and playing this kind of stunt every time," Mason nodded behind him and Frank knew that Athena was already close enough to hear what he had said.

He turned back and seeing the tears in her eyes pulled on his heartstrings and he felt bad for what he said but his remorse only lasted for a few seconds as he toughened up his face, "what do you want from me? Did I make a mistake by giving you the money two nights ago? You said you wanted to feed your children and I helped, why follow me around? Yesterday you have appeared in front of my building and now here? What exactly do you want? More money? Then fine, I will give you more money, just stop stalking me, please."

"This is not the right place, Frank, I think you should go to the balcony," Mason said.

"Yeah, everyone s attention is already here," Carla added.

Frank listened to the words of his friends and said to Athena, "follow me," and he started walking towards the direction of the balcony. Athena followed him with no hesitation, her mind was still occupied by his words, feed her children? A beggar? She still couldn t believe that she heard that from him. When they were outside in the balcony, Frank turned to her, "What are you doing here?"

Athena looked up at him, the moon reflecting the tears in her eyes, "Frank, you called me a beggar?"

Frank licked his lips and grunted, "listen, Athena, forget what I called you, now is not the time for that, just tell me, what are you doing here? I can t remember telling you about this party. So how did you come to know of it?"

Athena sobbed softly, she sniffled and looked down at their feet, "I haven t heard from you and I was worried, I believed that you were harsh to me the last time because I showed up at the fashion show but you never came to find me since then so I went to your flat today and you were not there. I met Fred and he told me about the party so I decided to come find you."

Frank hissed nosily, "really, didn t Fred tell you that you can t come here? Didn t he tell whose party this is? Huh?"

Athena flinched at the tone of his voice, "he did but he also said I can t be allowed inside without an invitation…"

"That s true," Frank interrupted, he was visibly curious, "how did you get in?"

Athena wiped her tears away and was ready to answer him when he interrupted with a wave of his hand, "that s not important now, listen, I need you to leave this place, like right now."

"But Frank, I really want to talk with you."

"There is nothing to talk about; didn t I make myself clear the last time? Huh? Didn t I?"

"Frank, I m sorry I came to the fashion show, please don t leave me for it."

Frank groaned in a frustrated manner, "Listen, it s not about you showing up at the fashion show, it s more about you not being the one for me."

"But you always said that I am the one for you, Frank, only me and no one else, remember?"

"That was then, Athena. Things changed, time changed," he pinched the bridge of his nose, "what is it going to take you to see that?"

"Frank, you just have to…"

Athena shook her head vehemently, "it can t be, it can t be," she kept muttering.

"What, that I am a ghost or something?" He smiled.

"You…what are you doing here?"

"I mentioned earlier, Athena, this is my home," he smiled once more, revealing pearly white teeth.

"Oh that s true," Athena murmured to herself.

The man stretched out his hand further, "come on, it s chilly out here and you don t want to catch a cold now, do you?"

Athena looked up at him again, at the face that had haunted her dreams for two weeks now, the face that always does sweet sinful things to her in her dreams. She would have given anything never to see him in her life again but here he was, right before her, and she was in his home.

"Come on, Athena," he urged, "I know I am handsome but it s not worth catching a cold for, besides, you can look at this face as much as you want from now on," he chuckled. Seeing the shock in her eyes, he grinned, "what? You think I am going to let you run away like you did before? Well, think again, my dear goddess."

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter